When a Christian wanders from the truth

When a Christian wanders from the truth

James–Part 29

Most letters written 2,000 years ago concluded with personal greetings and blessings, but James ended his with a call to action:

My brothers and sisters, if one of you wanders from the truth and is brought back, know this–whoever brings the wandering sinner back will save that person’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
James 5:19-20

James’s letter contains many warnings about sin, and one thing is clear: all of us are susceptible to it, so it is appropriate to close the letter with an encouragement to live in God’s truth. James speaks of truth in broad terms–anything and everything involved in the gospel. There will be times when we wander from the truth, and there will be times when friends and loved ones will go astray. When that happens, those still on the path are to extend a helping hand.

How to pray effectively

How to pray effectively

James–Part 28

Sometimes we pray for a loved one who is ill and the person gets better. Other times we pray and things get worse. It seems that God grants some prayer requests and ignores others. Why? James has already mentioned one reason: “when you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives” (4:3). Our requests are sometimes denied because our intentions are selfish. God does not simply hear our pleas; he considers our motives. James revisits the subject at the end of his letter and gives us the dual key to an effective prayer life: righteousness and persistence.

Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will make the sick well, and the Lord will raise them up. And anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being just like us, and yet when he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, no rain fell for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky sent down rain and the earth produced its crops.
James 5:14-18

The specific application here is to prayers for healing, but the principles of persistence and righteousness are relevant to all prayers. James uses Elijah, one of the most powerful prophets of the Old Testament, as his example. The Book of Kings recounts how Elijah defeated the king of Israel with one weapon–prayer. He told King Ahab, “there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word,” and there was drought for three and a half years. The prophet’s attitude toward prayer is revealed after the Lord instructed him to tell the king the drought would soon end. Ahab went out to celebrate, but Elijah got on his knees and continued to pray. Time and again he sent his servant to check the sky for clouds, and when none were reported, Elijah went right back to praying. After seven prayer sessions, the prophet’s perseverance was rewarded and God sent the rain.

How prayer and divine healing are connected

Prayer and divine healing

James–Part 27

There is a lot of confusion about the relationship between prayer and healing. The Bible teaches us that all illnesses are a result of sin, but some sicknesses are purposeful. Sometimes the purpose is discipline (1 Corinthians 11:27-32), and sometimes the purpose is to reveal God’s glory (John 9:1–3; 11:4). There is nothing terribly complicated about this, but Christians have developed very opposing attitudes about healing:

  • Some cite Jesus’s words (“ask and you shall receive”) and conclude prayer obligates God to give us what we want.

  • Others are convinced that divine healing was operational only during apostolic times and is no longer happening.

  • And some of us can’t find support in the Bible for either of these positions. We recognize two facts: fact #1 is God still heals people today, but fact #2 is that not everyone gets healed.

James helps us sort through the confusion, and he says the key lies in our relationships:

Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will make the sick well, and the Lord will raise them up. And anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
James 5:14–16a

Christianity’s best kept secret

Power of prayer

James–Part 26

Prayer is a mystery to most people, and many Christians are not satisfied with their prayer life. And because we do not understand the purpose and power of prayer, we often neglect it. Pastor James helps relieve our confusion. He teaches us when to pray and how to pray effectively.

Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will make the sick well, and the Lord will raise them up. And anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven.
James 5:13-15

James mentions three occasions that especially call for prayer. He first asks, “Are any among you suffering?” The Greek word translated “suffering” is cacopathia, “to be in distress or under great pressure.” The word is used in verse 10 to describe the hardships of the prophets. Their writings reveal that much of their suffering derived from spiritual and emotional anguish. When you are hurting spiritually or emotionally, how do you tend to respond? Many of us become angry or fearful, but James says the appropriate response is to pray. We can pray for deliverance, and we can pray to the strength to persevere, but most of all we are to pray for the wisdom that will enable us to see our troubles from the right perspective and celebrate them (James 1:2–5).